EL RENO, Okla. — Love's Travel Stops has relocated a retread plant it opened in Texas in 2016 to a larger facility in El Reno, allowing it to increase retreading capacity and serve customers better through its Love's Truck Care and Speedco network.
The relocation and expansion is part of a larger investment by Love's to expand its retread plant and distribution center capacity, thereby allowing it to increase its commitment to ensuring customer access to tires and parts, the company said.
The cost of the move was not disclosed. The 220,000-sq.-ft. facility, which also houses a distribution center, doubles the size of the building it replaces in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Love's has seven retread plants across the country, all employing Oliver Rubber materials and processes.
The opening in El Reno — a northwest suburb of Oklahoma City with a population of about 17,000 — created roughly 50 jobs, Love's said. El Reno has ready access to I-40 and U.S. Route 81.
"The new facility in El Reno is a great location to serve our most valuable customers and develop and distribute products to the surrounding towns and states," Steve Phillips, director of tire sales and plant operations for Love's, said.
"This location allows us to provide greater coverage, so our customers can get back on the road quickly and safely."
The Grand Prairie retread plant was one of four Love's opened in 2016 as the Oklahoma City-based company's entrée into retread manufacturing.
Two other plants/DCs opened in 2016 still in operation are in Forest Park, Ga., and Kingman, Ariz. A plant opened in Plainfield, Ind., was relocated earlier this year to a purpose-built, 200,000-sq.-ft. warehouse facility in Mooreseville, Ind.
The firm also operates retread plants in Laredo, Texas, and Milan, Tenn.
The company complements its retreading activities by an "innovative and transparent" casing repair program, consistent with a fleet's specifications and a customized reconditioning/mounted wheel program.
Love's retread warranty combines quality and safety by covering retreads, casings and any repairs for the full life of the retread. It is redeemable at any of the more than 415 Love's Truck Care and Speedco locations across the country.
Love's Travel Stops also offers eight new tire brands at its locations throughout the U.S.: BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Double Coin, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin and Yokohama.
